G.R. No. L-18734 - DECEMBER 1961 - PHILIPPINE JURISPRUDENCE CASE NUMBERCASE TITLE G.R. No. L-18734December 30, 1961 Government Service Insurance System Employees Association (GSISEA), et al. vs. Court of Industrial Relations, et al. G.R. No. L-17883December 30, 1961 Rodolfo B. Santiago, etc. vs. Amado Dimayuga, etc. G.R. No. L-17669December 30, 1961 People of the Philippines vs. Longenos Peñafiel, et al. G.R. No. L-17477December 30, 1961 Polo, Ynte, Andres, Fianza, et al. vs. National Power Corporation, et al. G.R. No. L-17400December 30, 1961 Epifania M. Cuenca vs. Superintendent of the Correctional Institution for Women G.R. No. L-17068December 30, 1961 National Shipyards and Steel Corporation vs. Court of Industrial Relations, et al. G.R. No. L-17061December 30, 1961 Luneta Motor Company vs. Angel Dimagiba, et al. G.R. No. L-16988December 30, 1961 People of the Philippines vs. Lucio Rada, et al. G.R. No. L-16746December 30, 1961 Rexwell Corporation vs. Dominador P. Canlas G.R. No. L-16486December 30, 1961 Shiu Shun Man vs. Emilio L. Galang G.R. No. L-16381December 30, 1961 People of the Philippines vs. Antonio T. Fausto G.R. No. L-16124December 30, 1961 Esperanza Fernandez vs. Hermogenes Caluag, et al. G.R. No. L-16106December 30, 1961 Republic of the Philippines vs. Philippine National Bank, et al. G.R. No. L-15901December 30, 1961 Alipio Gonzales vs. Sergio Osmeña, et al. G.R. No. L-15812December 30, 1961 People of the Philippines vs. Pedro Racca, et al. G.R. No. L-15759December 30, 1961 Pampanga Bus Company, Inc., et al. vs. Municipality of Tarlac, et al. G.R. No. L-15436December 30, 1961 Eusebio G. Dimaano vs. Auditor General, et al. G.R. No. L-14999December 30, 1961 Naric Workers' Union vs. Court of Industrial Relations, et al. G.R. No. L-14814December 30, 1961 Earnshaw Docks & Honolulu Iron Works vs. Pedro Gimenez G.R. No. L-13415December 30, 1961 People of the Philippines vs. Doroteo Bollena, et al. G.R. No. L-13254December 30, 1961 California Lines, Inc. vs. Amparo de los Santos, et al. G.R. No. L-17937December 28, 1961 Community Sawmill Company vs. Workmen's Compensation Commission, et al. G.R. No. L-17934December 28, 1961 Allied Free Workers' Union (PLUM), et al. vs. Manuel Estipona, etc., et al. G.R. No. L-17690December 28, 1961 Manuel Divinagracia vs. Court of First Instance of Manila, et al. G.R. No. L-17687December 28, 1961 Januario L. Jison, Sr. vs. Ignacio Debuque, et al. G.R. No. L-17661December 28, 1961 Manuel Tiberio vs. Manila Pilots Association G.R. No. L-17535December 28, 1961 H. G. Henares & Sons vs. National Labor Union G.R. No. L-17237December 28, 1961 Gregoria Bartolo vs. Primo G. Maliwanag, et al. G.R. No. L-17196December 28, 1961 Teodorico B. Santos vs. Court of Industrial Relations, et al. G.R. No. L-17135December 28, 1961 Manila Cordage Company vs. Magno Gatmitan, etc., et al. G.R. No. L-17066December 28, 1961 In Re: Carmen Padilla vda. de Bengson Carmen Padilla vda. de Bengson vs. Philippine National Bank G.R. No. L-16563December 28, 1961 Z. E. Lotho, Inc. vs. Ice and Cold Storage Industries of the Philippines, Inc., et al. G.R. No. L-16359December 28, 1961 Insular Life Assurance Company, Ltd., vs. Social Security Commission G.R. No. L-15798December 28, 1961 Jose P. Tecson vs. Social Security System G.R. No. L-15091December 28, 1961 Genoveva Catalan Paulino vs. Paz H. Paulino, et al. G.R. No. L-15013December 28, 1961 Commissioner of Internal Revenue vs. Asturias Sugar Central Inc. G.R. No. L-14823December 28, 1961 In Re: Anacleta Barillo Anacleta Barillo vs. Republic of the Philippines G.R. No. L-14337December 28, 1961 Agapito Tria, et al. vs. Pedro Zaballa, et al. G.R. No. L-12996December 28, 1961 People of the Philippines vs. Antonio Albert G.R. No. L-16600December 27, 1961 Iloilo Chinese Commercial School vs. Leonora Fabrigar, et al. G.R. No. L-8748December 26, 1961 In Re: Narciso A. Padilla Isabel B. vda. de Padilla vs. Concepcion Paterno G.R. No. L-18672December 26, 1961 Republic of the Philippines vs. J. M. Tuason & Company Inc., et al. G.R. No. L-18128December 26, 1961 J. M. Tuason & Company Inc., et al. vs. Court of Appeals, et al. G.R. No. L-15365December 26, 1961 Asuncion Francisco, et al. vs. Hermogenes Caluag G.R. No. L-16992December 23, 1961 Atlantic Gulf & Pacific Company of Manila, Inc. vs. Court of Industrial Relations, et al. G.R. No. L-16173December 23, 1961 Pascuala R. Vito vs. Arsenio H. Lacson, etc., et al. G.R. No. L-19168December 22, 1961 Ansberto P. Paredes vs. Rosalind B. Antillon G.R. No. L-18054December 22, 1961 City of Butuan vs. Montano A. Ortiz, et al. G.R. No. L-16950December 22, 1961 Simeon T. Garcia vs. Arturo B. Pascual, et al. G.R. No. L-16825December 22, 1961 In Re: Chua Pun Chua Pun vs. Republic of the Philippines, et al. G.R. No. L-16806December 22, 1961 Sergio del Rosario vs. People of the Philippines G.R. No. L-15763December 22, 1961 National Power Corporation vs. Jesus de Veyra, et al. G.R. No. L-15264December 22, 1961 Garcia Samson vs. Ramon Enriquez, et al. The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation, Inc. Government Service Insurance System Employees Association (GSISEA), et al. vs. Court of Industrial Relations, et al. Rodolfo B. Santiago, etc. vs. Amado Dimayuga, etc. People of the Philippines vs. Longenos Peñafiel, et al. Polo, Ynte, Andres, Fianza, et al. vs. National Power Corporation, et al. Epifania M. Cuenca vs. Superintendent of the Correctional Institution for Women National Shipyards and Steel Corporation vs. Court of Industrial Relations, et al. Luneta Motor Company vs. Angel Dimagiba, et al. People of the Philippines vs. Lucio Rada, et al. Rexwell Corporation vs. Dominador P. Canlas Shiu Shun Man vs. Emilio L. Galang People of the Philippines vs. Antonio T. Fausto Esperanza Fernandez vs. Hermogenes Caluag, et al. Republic of the Philippines vs. Philippine National Bank, et al. Alipio Gonzales vs. Sergio Osmeña, et al. People of the Philippines vs. Pedro Racca, et al. Pampanga Bus Company, Inc., et al. vs. Municipality of Tarlac, et al. Eusebio G. Dimaano vs. Auditor General, et al. Naric Workers' Union vs. Court of Industrial Relations, et al. Earnshaw Docks & Honolulu Iron Works vs. Pedro Gimenez People of the Philippines vs. Doroteo Bollena, et al. California Lines, Inc. vs. Amparo de los Santos, et al. Community Sawmill Company vs. Workmen's Compensation Commission, et al. Allied Free Workers' Union (PLUM), et al. vs. Manuel Estipona, etc., et al. Manuel Divinagracia vs. Court of First Instance of Manila, et al. Januario L. Jison, Sr. vs. Ignacio Debuque, et al. Manuel Tiberio vs. Manila Pilots Association H. G. Henares & Sons vs. National Labor Union Gregoria Bartolo vs. Primo G. Maliwanag, et al. Teodorico B. Santos vs. Court of Industrial Relations, et al. Manila Cordage Company vs. Magno Gatmitan, etc., et al. In Re: Carmen Padilla vda. de Bengson Carmen Padilla vda. de Bengson vs. Philippine National Bank Z. E. Lotho, Inc. vs. Ice and Cold Storage Industries of the Philippines, Inc., et al. Insular Life Assurance Company, Ltd., vs. Social Security Commission Jose P. Tecson vs. Social Security System Genoveva Catalan Paulino vs. Paz H. Paulino, et al. Commissioner of Internal Revenue vs. Asturias Sugar Central Inc. In Re: Anacleta Barillo Anacleta Barillo vs. Republic of the Philippines Agapito Tria, et al. vs. Pedro Zaballa, et al. People of the Philippines vs. Antonio Albert Iloilo Chinese Commercial School vs. Leonora Fabrigar, et al. In Re: Narciso A. Padilla Isabel B. vda. de Padilla vs. Concepcion Paterno Republic of the Philippines vs. J. M. Tuason & Company Inc., et al. J. M. Tuason & Company Inc., et al. vs. Court of Appeals, et al. Asuncion Francisco, et al. vs. Hermogenes Caluag Atlantic Gulf & Pacific Company of Manila, Inc. vs. Court of Industrial Relations, et al. Pascuala R. Vito vs. Arsenio H. Lacson, etc., et al. Ansberto P. Paredes vs. Rosalind B. Antillon City of Butuan vs. Montano A. Ortiz, et al. Simeon T. Garcia vs. Arturo B. Pascual, et al. In Re: Chua Pun Chua Pun vs. Republic of the Philippines, et al. Sergio del Rosario vs. People of the Philippines National Power Corporation vs. Jesus de Veyra, et al. Garcia Samson vs. Ramon Enriquez, et al. The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation, Inc.
Republic of the Philippines
SUPREME COURT
Manila
EN BANC
G.R. No. L-18734 December 30, 1961
GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM EMPLOYEES' ASSOCIATION (GSISEA), GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM SUPERVISORS' UNION (GSISSU), CONFEDERATION OF UNIONS IN GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS (CUGC) and KATIPUNANG MANGGAGAWA PILIPINO (KMP),petitioners,
vs.
COURT OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS and GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM (GSIS),respondents.
Jose C. Espinas for petitioners.
Simeon M. Gopengco for respondent GSIS. L.
Monasterial for respondent Court.
REYES, J.B.L.,J.:
Petitioner Unions filed the instant case to prohibit and enjoin the Court of Industrial Relations from hearing and adjudicating the labor controversy between the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Government Service Insurance System Employees' Association (GSISEA) and Supervisors' Union (GSISSU), now constituting Case No. 38-IPA of the Industrial Court. After hearing and oral argument on October 6, 1961, we dismissed the petition by resolution of the same date with out prejudice to a more extended decision.
The issue is whether the labor controversy between the GSIS Employees' Association and the Supervisors' Union (which are affiliates of the other petitioner groups) and the GSIS Management, concerning implementation of certain provisions on salary standardization contained in their collective bargaining agreement, has been properly certified by the President of the Philippines to the Court of Industrial Relations. It appears that on August 15, 1961, the then Executive Secretary Natalio P. Castillo, in a letter (Annex E) dated August 15, 1961 and signed by him "by authority of the President", officially referred the controversy to the Industrial Court, stating:
Considering the importance of continued operations of the System to our government employees and to the Government and the consequences that would ensue should a strike develop, it is believed that this is a dispute in an industry indispensable to the national interest.
Pursuant to Section 10 of Republic Act No. 875, otherwise known as the Magna Charta of Labor, the President hereby certifies the dispute between the management of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Government Service Insurance System Employees' Association (GSISEA) and the Government Service Insurance System Supervisors' Union (GSISSU) to the Court of Industrial Relations and requests the Court to take immediate appropriate steps in the exercise of its powers under the law.
The Unions question this letter and claim that the same constitutes no valid certification, on the grounds (a) that the President on the date of the letter was in the Visayas and arrived only on the night of August 17, and there is no proof that the Executive Secretary was authorized to act on behalf of the President; and (b) that the powers of the President under section 10 of the Industrial Peace Act (R.A. 875) can not be delegated to a cabinet member.
We see no merit in this contention. The Executive Secretary's letter (Annex E of the Petition) is not a certification of the industrial dispute by the Executive Secretary, but attests to the fact that the President has ordered said dispute certified to the Industrial Court, as required by law. The fact that on several previous occasions, Presidents of the Philippines have made similar certifications through letters addressed to the Court of Industrial Relations and personally signed by them, is of no significance, since the statute does not prescribe in what form the Chief Executive should certify an industrial controversy to the Court of Industrial Relations.
That the President was not in Manila on the date of the letter certainly does not preclude his having ordered the reference in question. The facilities of communication now available contradict any impossibility of such order being made. The presumption of performance of official duty on the part of the Executive Secretary is not rebutted by mere conjectures based on the absence of the President from a given locality, nor by the lack of any mention of the certification by the chronicle of the President's activities in the Official Gazette. For the Executive Secretary to officially state in writing that the President has made or authorized the certification, when in fact he has not done so, would constitute the crime of falsification of an official document, and the commission of such offense can not be lightly inferred.lawphil.net
That the certification came two days before the strike was declared is immaterial, since section 10 of the Act does not require the existence of a strike, but only of anindustrial dispute; and it is not denied that the employer and the Unions had such a dispute, and that officials of the Department of Labor previously tried to conciliate the disputants but without success.
The respondents have shown, furthermore, that the Chief Executive has approved, over his signature, the requests made by the Manager of the Government Service Insurance System in his letter of August 11, to have its dispute with the Unions certified to the Court of Industrial Relations (Respondents' Exhibit 1). No delegation of power was, therefore, involved, contrary to the allegations of the petitioners.
Finding no merit in the petition, we hereby dismiss the same, and the writs sought are denied. Costs against petitioners.
Padilla, Bautista Angelo, Labrador, Barrera, Paredes, Dizon and De Leon, JJ.,concur.
Bengzon, C.J., and Concepcion, J.,took no part.